Most depressing song...

[Jericho]

I'm too depressed to take the piss!

[cassieukts]

Absolutely every coldplay song. whiny middle class tosh for wimpy students

[Prospero]

I think cassie sort of nailed it (though I just find coldplay boring - not sad)

It sort of depends on what level particular music depresses you. I get depressed by the cold calculating and manipulative nature of so much contemporary music - wholly plastic artefacts produced for a buck.

The music which actually makes me feel desolate is often brilliant - with a way of dashing past cliche or lyrics intended to "make you sad to cut through to some place of real bleak despair The music that does this best are Chopin's Nocturnes for the piano. Utterly beautiful, but they make me think of my own inevitable death.

[cassieukts]

Thanks Prospero. There is a place for depressing music or even miserable music as some describe it. I always liked the smiths and Joy Divison are my favourite band. Bugger, that must make me a miserable old cow!

[bobagemman]

Diamanda Galas - Gloomy Sunday

[Prospero]

Try this one for a fragile sadness...

[giovanni_hotel]

Anything by Cat Stevens.

I seriously cannot listen to that man when I'm slightly depressed.
Emotionally he always hits a down note in me.

[Stavros]

I think people are making a distinction between music/songs that are about depression and music/songs that induce it. I can't think of anything more depressing to listen to than the music of the English composer Edward Elgar -colourless, superficial emotion soaked in the most depressing range of chords known to man. If I hear his music on the radio I immediately turn it off, as I have better things to do with my life than be deliberately depressed when I might have been feeling good about life.

As for pop songs, I think the point is that there should be no relief from the depressing thought in the song, so that it is without hope. Marvin Gaye's classic I Head it Through the Grapevine is one such song, although one could just say Marvin, mate -she doesn't love you anymore, get over it.

Here is a deeply depressing song, full of anger, spite and violence, offering no hope. First the lyrics, then if you can stomach it, the song on youtube. And just to rub your faces in it, it is 11 minutes long.

This is the end, beautiful friend
This is the end, my only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes, again

Can you picture what will be, so limitless and free
Desperately in need, of some, stranger's hand
In a, desperate land

Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane, all the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah
There's danger on the edge of town
Ride the King's highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby
Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles

Ride the snake, he's old, and his skin is cold
The west is the best, the west is the best
Get here, and we'll do the rest
The blue bus is callin' us, the blue bus is callin' us
Driver, where you taken us

The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on
He took a face from the ancient gallery
And he walked on down the hall

He went into the room where his sister lived, and, then he
Paid a visit to his brother, and then he
He walked on down the hall, and
And he came to a door, and he looked inside
Father, yes son, I want to kill you
Mother, I want to, fuck you

C'mon baby, take a chance with us
C'mon baby, take a chance with us
C'mon baby, take a chance with us

And meet me at the back of the blue bus
Doin' a blue rock, on a blue bus
Doin' a blue rock, c'mon, yeah
Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill
This is the end, beautiful friend

This is the end, my only friend, the end
It hurts to set you free
But you'll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die
This is the end

[martin48]

Terry Jacks — “Seasons in the Sun"

[cassieukts]

Terry Jacks — “Seasons in the Sun"

hijacked by football hoooligand all over the uk